Forever
by dabbling
Summary: This goes along with my Legacy AU. Primarily a story of the next generation, Katie Goren and Andy Logan, but plenty of scenes with the now elder and well retired parents of those young'ns. If you enjoyed The Kids Are All Right, you'll probably like this one. Bobby/Alex; Mike/Carolyn, and lots of characters of my own creation.
1. Chapter 1

Grown Up

Mike's hair never really had grayed. He had some gray, sure, but instead of spreading gradually through, he had bold streaks at his temples and hiding underneath the black. Carolyn pushed her hand through his hair, studying the hidden gray and thought he would just wake up one morning with a full head of white hair.

A pang of worry shot through her, then: If he had that many mornings left.

"Mom?" Andy's voice was strained, but quiet. Carolyn put on a smile and turned to face her son. She stepped away from her husband and met Andy near the doorway of the room, giving him a fierce hug.

"It was a heart attack, they're pretty sure," she said quietly. "They're keeping an eye on him tonight and will run some tests in the morning." She kept her hands on his arms and smiled at him proudly. "Go on," she said, tilting her head toward her husband.

Andy let go of his Mom and walked ten paces to his father's hospital bed. Mike seemed asleep, but he opened his eyes and looked up at his son. Seeing Andy in his full patrol uniform brought a spark to his eyes and a proud smile to his lips.

"Hi, Dad."

"Son." Mike could read the worry on the younger man's face. "I'm fine," he said.

"Dad…" Andy looked him over quickly.

Mike reached for his son's hand and shrugged. "They'll fix me up."

In the hall, Carolyn met Bobby and Alex with hugs. She filled them in on Mike's condition and the three looked through the open room door at Andy, who stood by his father's side.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked her friend.

Carolyn had to swallow a deep breath to answer without tears. "I think so."

Bobby put an arm over Carolyn's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He saw Andy coming towards them and said, "I'm gonna, uh…"

On the way into the room, he gave the younger man a hug and a pat on the arm. Then Bobby went to sit by Mike.

"Hard to believe we were ever that handsome," Bobby said, with a glance in Andy's direction.

"Speak for yourself. I still am," Mike retorted.

That one snarky remark lifted a weight off Bobby's shoulders. Mike was all right.

Out in the hall, Carolyn was reassuring her son. "Go home and change. We'll be fine."

Andy looked back at his father, then turned to his mother. "You're sure, Mom?"

"The nurses don't seem worried. I think he'll be fine tonight."

"I'll come back, stay the night."

"Okay." Andy gave his Mom and Alex a kiss and hurried away, leaving the two women alone.

Alex took Carolyn by the hand. "Walk with me," she said.

"It was completely unexpected," Carolyn explained. "We were just getting ready to go out and he sat down on the bed and grabbed his arm… Alex, I've never been so scared. The look on his face…"

"But you got him here, they're taking care of him."

"He said his Dad had heart problems. I never knew that." Alex gave her hand a squeeze and they walked down the hall together.

* * *

Knowing Andy would return soon, Bobby & Alex said their goodbyes and promised to return in the morning. "Sorry," Mike said to Alex.

"For what?"

"Dragging you out here, messing up your evening."

"We're retired, Mike. It's not like we have to get up in the morning." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "We'll see you tomorrow." He raised a hand in a weak wave and they left.

Finally alone with him, Carolyn took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed beside him. "How are you?" she asked in a whisper.

"Just tired, now. I guess a bad ticker will do that."

Her hand ran through his thick hair. "Andy will be back soon."

Mike smiled and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her fingers in his hair. "He's a great kid," He said.

"You'll get no argument from me," she said. Their son, now 24, had completed a 4 year degree in criminal justice and then gone to the Police Academy. He was a rookie cop in Brooklyn, and so far, had earned nothing but respect from everyone he'd worked with. Mike and Carolyn both were proud of their son.

"Speak of the Devil," Mike said, grinning. Carolyn stepped back and they watched Andy walk up. She kissed her son's cheek, a gesture he had to bend over to receive. At 6'6", Andy was taller than his father.

"Hey," Andy said. He was still concerned, but not as tense as he was earlier in the evening. "Anything new?"

Carolyn shook her head. "He's doing fine," she said. She went and sat in the visitor's chair.

Mike yawned, and rubbed his face with his hand.

"Get some rest, Dad. You don't have to stay up for me."

Mike nodded, and with a smile, he closed his eyes. Andy got the other chair and sat, but almost immediately, his cell phone buzzed. He dug into his jeans pocket and got it out. He read quickly and texted a reply. Looking over at his Mom, he explained, "Katie."

She smiled and nodded and turned to look at her husband. He was still pale, but he wasn't in pain anymore. They were feeding him oxygen through a tube under his nose and had given him an IV for who knows what. Compared to earlier in the evening, he looked great. She leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes, while Andy silently texted back and forth with his best friend, Katie Goren.

* * *

The morning brought a round of tests, and a lot of waiting. By ten o'clock, Mike was back in his room, waiting for the doctor to make his rounds. Bobby and Alex joined Carolyn in Mike's room, while Katie went to meet Andy in the cafeteria.

"How is he, Andy?"

"Pretty tired. He's tired of being here, too. He can't stand being poked and prodded and being wired to the heart monitor."

"Sounds like your Dad. He must be feeling better." She took a bite of her breakfast sandwich and studied her friend. "How are you?"

Andy shrugged. "This is scary shit, Kate. Dad's never had any kind of heart problem before. He's always been in good shape, and pretty healthy."

Katie stretched out her hand and laid it on Andy's arm.

Andy continued. "I… I never thought about… losing him before. I mean, not really. I guess some of his detective work was dangerous, but I was so little then I never knew."

"All of our parents are getting old," she said. Katie had been afraid for her parents many times, especially her father. His health had always been a concern, in one way or another. "You know, it's good, though. Now he knows he has a problem, he can look out for it. You know, eat right and all that."

Andy nodded his head. "How's your new job?"

Katie, after finishing her degree in Psychology, had just hired on with NYPD as a department shrink. In addition to providing therapy to officers, she did evaluations of criminals and was called as an expert witness in the courtroom. She shrugged. "They think I'm too young. The cops don't want me to treat them because they think I'm just a kid, and the lawyers don't want me to testify because a jury will see me that way."

Andy offered her a consoling smile. "Don't worry, Kate. Once you hit the stand a couple of times, they'll all want you on their team."

"You're sweet, Andy. How's Angela?"

Andy shook his head. "Oh, you know, on again, off again. I don't know."

Katie frowned. "Did you tell her?"

He nodded. "She said I could call her if I needed her and to give him her best."

"But she didn't come?"

He shook his head. "It was late, you know."

"Andy." Katie waited until he looked into her eyes, but then she decided against saying anything to him. He had to realize on his own that Angela was not the girl for him. "Shall we go upstairs?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm done." As they walked upstairs, Katie tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.

* * *

Another day, and a minor procedure, and Mike Logan was finally sent home. Andy was there waiting for them when they arrived.

"What are you doing here?" Mike asked. Andy had a place a couple of miles away.

"I stocked up your fridge. You guys don't need to be running out for groceries for a few days."

"Thanks." Mike sat in his recliner, blissfully happy to be home.

Carolyn walked past him and joined her son in the kitchen. "Katie made a couple of casseroles and stuck them in the freezer for you. Take it easy, Mom. And call me if you need anything. Don't let him climb out on the roof or anything."

Carolyn put her palm on his cheek. "You're such a good son. Are you working tonight?"

"Yeah. But you can still call if you need anything."

"I know."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mom." As he walked to the front door, he stopped and kissed his father on the top of his head. "I love you, Dad."

"Don't get all mushy on me, I can still kick your ass," Mike said, but with a smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You can't come?" She whined into the phone.

Andy rubbed his tired eyes and fiddled with the radio wire that curled up to his shoulder. "I'm still at work. Probably be here a while."

She was silent, and he knew she was angry. "Fine. I guess I'll see you later."

"Do you still want me to come over?"

"Why? You're just going to sleep when you get here and by the time you wake up, I'll be going to sleep. Maybe you should just stay at your place, Andy."

"Okay. Sorry, Angela."

"You're always sorry." She hung up, and a surge of anger passed through him. He almost chucked his phone across the room, but decided against it. Andy adjusted his uniform and headed off to his desk to do his paperwork.

* * *

Katie was in a navy blue skirt suit, her hair up in a modest bun with a few stray curls falling down at her temples. "Mr. Ortega presented with symptoms of psychosis. He was having auditory and visual hallucinations, and was in a very agitated state."

"In your opinion, Ms.—"

"Doctor," Katie corrected the lawyer. "I am a Doctor of Psychology."

"Apologies. In your opinion, _Doctor_ Goren, did Mr. Ortega have the wherewithal to understand that he was committing murder?"

"Mr. Ortega is mentally ill. He believed that the 'others' were instructing him to carry out these murders. He only understood that if he didn't kill, he would be killed."

"How do you know he wasn't faking it?" the lawyer asked.

Katie smiled. "Mr. Koch, psychology is a well-established science. Each measure that we use to determine the function of a behavior has built-in redundancies to eliminate the possibility of a misdiagnosis. For example, you very cleverly planted the notion, with only two words, for the jury that I am not qualified and my statements will not hold water. There are 12 people on the jury who also heard my credentials. Even if one of them sides with you, Mr. Koch, there are 11 others who, given the same information may now hear my testimony as credible. Our diagnostic tests ask the same questions multiple times in various ways. Even a clever man like you, Mr. Koch, would not be able to disguise your symptoms through the entire evaluation process."

The lawyer fumbled and muttered something about not trying to mislead anyone, and Katie kept her face a mask of innocence until she was released from the stand.

* * *

Alex hung up the phone and smiled. "She did it," Alex said.

"What?" Bobby asked.

"That was Captain Murdock, over at the 2-7. Katie wiped the floor with the prosecutor today."

Bobby smiled. "That's my girl." He knew that Katie's first responsibility would be to the truth. Like him, she would want to treat, rather than punish, the mentally ill.

"Let's invite her over for dinner," Alex suggested.

* * *

Andy was sound asleep, but he heard his phone vibrate on the nightstand. He reached over and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before glancing at the screen. It was Katie. He sent her a quick text and then went back to bed.

* * *

"How are you doing, Dad?" Andy asked, plopping down on the living room couch.

"Fine, son. I'm ready for a steak."

"Dad."

"I know, I know. A guy can dream, can't he?" Mike rolled up the sports section and smacked Andy on the thigh. "How are you?"

"Okay."

"Uh-oh. What is it? Night shift? Angela?" he saw the fleeting look in his son's face. "Oh. Angela."

"I don't know, Dad. I keep trying, but she just…"

"Hey. It's hard to be a cop, Andy. And it's hard to date a cop, too."

"But you and Mom did fine. And the Gorens."

"That's different. We were all cops, at one time or another. If Carolyn said she had to work a double, I understood. When I had to go under and couldn't contact her for over a month, she got it."

"Angela doesn't get it."

"If she doesn't get it now, son, she probably never will."

Andy frowned.

Mike softened. "Hey. Maybe you can talk to her. Maybe she can learn."

"Yeah, maybe," Andy said, but he didn't sound like he meant it.

Mike decided to change the subject. "Darren called last night," he said. "Asked how I was doing."

"Yeah, I called him when it happened, but Pam was out of town at a conference, and the baby was sick, so he couldn't come out."

"That's what he told me. He let me talk to the baby on the phone," Mike said, with a smile.

"She's not talking yet?" Andy asked in alarm. Even though he and Darren had been friends since they were kids, and he tried to keep in touch, it had been difficult lately.

"Of course not. She babbled, I babbled. Kind of like talking to your mother," Mike said with a wink as he watched her walk in from the kitchen.

"Come on, Babe, time to walk the dog," Carolyn said, grinning.

Andy looked confused. "You got a dog?"

Mike faked a smile. "No, son, your mother thinks she's funny. She takes me for a walk around the block every day, now."

Carolyn laughed, and Mike gave her a look that promised revenge. Andy shared in the joke.

"C'mon, you wanna come with?"

Smiling, Andy shook his head. "I think I'm gonna catch up with Katie before I go to work tonight. She had a big day in court today."

* * *

Katie hugged her parents and went straight to the kitchen. "We have to set another place, Mom. Andy's coming."

Alex chuckled with surprise. "When did this come about?"

"He texted me and I told him to come."

"I guess that means I have to wait to get the play-by-play," Bobby said, moping.

"Yeah, Daddy, I don't want to tell it over and over again." Katie set a place for Andy and then fixed herself a glass of wine.

"How are you, Darlin'?" Bobby asked her as she sat down in the living room.

"Great, today, Daddy." Katie sipped her wine and Alex joined them on the couch.

"Only today?" Alex asked.

Katie sighed. "The job's been keeping me busy, but… I guess I've been a little lonely."

"Do you ever hear from Ron any more?"

Katie rolled her eyes. "Oh, thank God, no." She took another drink. "Biggest mistake of my life," she muttered, and Bobby tried to hide his satisfied smile. He'd always had a bad feeling about that one.

"No big deal, I'll get over it," Katie said, ready to change the subject. The doorbell rang, and she couldn't help but think she'd been saved by the bell.

Alex opened the door for him while everyone else stood to greet him. "Hi Andy," Alex said with a smile. She hugged him.

Coming in, he got a hug from Bobby, too. Then he scooped Katie into his arms. "I told you so," Andy told her, with a wink.

Cheerfully, they all moved toward the dinner table. Bobby & Alex brought the food in, and both Andy and Katie smiled.

"This is better than I've eaten in weeks," Andy said.

"Me too," agreed Katie.

Bobby and Alex shared a glance. "You both know how to cook," Alex said.

"Who has time for it?" Andy said.

"I'm too tired to go shopping," Katie complained.

"You'll need to find a way to fix that," was Bobby's input. "You don't eat right, you're going to pay for it at work."

Alex looked over at him in surprise. "When exactly did you learn that lesson, Dear?"

Bobby shrugged. "I knew it… I just never did it…"

"How did you manage it, Mom?"

"Before we had you? We ate out a lot. Too much, really."

"All right, I want to hear the tale of Katie and the prosecutor."

She relayed the story, and they were all happy to hear it. "Please pass the salt," Bobby said when she was through, "Dr. Goren."

"Can you get me a napkin, Dr. Goren?" Alex asked.

"You've got some…" Andy teased, pointing to his chin, "something on your face, Dr. Goren."

Katie turned red and wiped her face. She was embarrassed about their teasing, but she loved it, too. "You're turning red, Dr. Goren."

"Bobby, stop. She's going to choke," Alex warned. Katie was laughing so hard she really might have choked.

After the laughter settled, the conversation turned to Andy. "Graveyard?" Bobby asked him.

"Yeah. I'm hoping I can get second shift by Christmas."

"Don't count on it," Alex said. "I was graveyard for a year and a half before I got switched."

Andy looked at Alex, then at Bobby, who said "Six months for me. But then I went undercover."

He sighed and frowned a little. Katie brushed her foot against his leg under the table and he raised his eyes to her. "You can do it, Andy. This is what you wanted, right?"

"Yeah. I want to be a detective."

"You'll get there, Andy," Alex said. "It's in your blood."

After dinner, Andy helped with the dishes and checked his watch. "I have to get going soon," he said quietly. He turned to Katie. "Take a walk with me?"

"Sure," she said with a smile. She followed him out the door. On the sidewalk outside, she threw a few glances his way. "Something on your mind, Andy?"

He grinned and tilted his head to look at her. "I… I got you something, Katie. I… I'm just really proud of you. You're beating all the odds, getting your doctorate so young, and now the job, and I know it's tough to prove yourself to them. Here." He shoved a jewelry box in her hand.

Opening it, she saw it was a necklace. The pendant was about the size of a quarter, a beautiful celtic knot. "Oh, Andy, it's gorgeous! Thank you."

"I'm proud of you, Dr. Goren," he repeated. She threw her arms around him and gave him a hug, which he willingly returned. After he fastened the necklace for her, they continued their walk.

His phone interrupted them. He stepped away from Katie, but she could tell he was muting his anger on the line. He came back, shaking his head. "Sorry about that," he said. They stopped short in front of the mustang that had been handed down to Andy by her father. "I've gotta get going," he said. "Kate?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have Saturday off. Darren and his wife invited me over for dinner, and I… well, do you want to come? I know they'd love to see you."

Katie grinned. "That sounds great, Andy."

"I'll text you," he said, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Say goodbye to your folks," he added, and dropped into the driver's seat.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Let's get something straight," the Captain of the 1-5 said, folding her arms over her breasts. "I don't care how good your parents were. Around here, everyone proves themselves. I've heard about you, Goren, and I hear you've impressed a few people. You're gonna have to work hard to impress me, but once you do, you'll know it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Come on," the Captain said, leading her to the observation room to watch the interrogation.

The suspect was sitting calmly, watching both detectives with interest. They questioned the suspect, and Katie watched as the man's eyes darted from one detective to the other.

"He's going to try something," she announced suddenly. "He keeps looking at Detective Conlin's tie tack and clenching his fists. Look!"

As soon as she said it, they all saw the tells. But before the Captain could get word to the detectives, he'd flipped the table. All the officers ran into the room and restrained the man until he was cuffed. Katie stood in the observation room, her hand over her mouth, watching through the window.

* * *

Andy ran down the empty sidewalk, peering into alleys and listening intently for his radio.

"He's over the fence, heading towards Spencer Street!"

Andy was running on Spencer street. He was on full alert now, eyes scanning the street in front of him. He saw the perp, sprinted, and tackled him. Andy cuffed him and made the call on the radio, his knee firmly planted on the man's back. He was breathing hard, and when backup arrived, he gladly stepped away to catch his breath. His fellow officers patted his back. "Good job, Logan," they said.

* * *

"Andy?"

He shook himself awake. "Yeah, Mom?" Logan sat up and checked the time: 3:30 p.m.

"I woke you, didn't I?" She sounded remorseful.

"It's okay, Mom, I should be up anyway. Is everything okay?"

"Well, yes and no." Carolyn paused, then said, "Hold on a minute." Andy heard her put her hand over the phone, and heard her muffled voice yelling, "If you go out there, Mike, I will never let you hear the end of it! Andy's coming over! Just wait, would you?!" Another pause, and he heard her remove her hand from the mic. "Sorry, Andy, I really need your help. The storm last night blew the screen off your window, and your Dad is insisting on going out there to replace it."

Andy pinched his fingers against the bridge of his nose. His bedroom was on the second floor of the house. "I'll be there, Mom. Let me talk to Dad."

"Mike! Andy wants to talk to you!" She hollered, and soon her husband was on the line.

"Everything okay, Dad?" Andy asked in his pleasantest voice.

Mike's mood was sour. "Does it sound like it? I can take care of this, Andy, it's no big deal."

"Dad, it's not worth the fight. I'll come over. We'll do it together."

"All right," Mike agreed.

"Do I need to pick up anything on the way?"

"No, it's in one piece, and not bent too bad. I think we can just pop it back in."

"Okay, sit tight. I'll be there soon."

* * *

Andy climbed with the screen in his hands while Carolyn held the ladder still. Mike was on the second floor with the window open, ready to give his son instructions.

Of course it didn't go as smoothly as it should have. As it turned out, it was bent more than Mike thought, and they had to hammer it straight. Then they had to drill new holes for the screws, since the old ones were torn open and unusable. Finally, after a solid hour of work, they had reinstalled the screen.

Andy climbed down the ladder and jumped off the third step to the ground. Carolyn scowled at him for jumping, turned and went inside, muttering to herself.

Andy lowered the ladder and tied it securely, then carried it to the shed. By the time he went inside, his Dad was waiting for him with a cold one. "Thanks, Dad," Andy said. "Mom okay?"

Mike shrugged. "She'll get over it."

"Go easy on her, Pop. She's just worried about you. And if you want to know the truth, so am I."

"Ah, Geez, Andy, I'm fine."

"You thought you were fine the day you—"

"All right, all right. C'mon and we'll make peace with your mother."

* * *

"Hi, Andy."

"Kate, I'm running a little late. Sorry. I had to stop by my folks' and help them out a while. I'm going home for a shower and I'll be right over."

"No worries. I'm working on a report, anyway."

"I'll be there soon."

* * *

"Wow, Darren! Look how big she's gotten!" Katie squealed and took the baby from his arms and walked in. She was 11 months old, and on the verge of walking.

Darren gave Andy a quick hug. "Good to see you, man. How's your Dad?"

Darren grinned. "He's all right. He's the reason we're late."

Pam was standing just inside the door, smiling. Andy stopped to give her a hug. "Welcome home, Sweetheart," Andy said to Pam.

"Can she walk yet?" Katie asked Pam over her shoulder.

"She's trying. Put her down and see."

Katie lowered the baby to her feet and held her little hands over her head. The baby took some wobbly steps and Katie pulled on her hands to set her upright again. When Katie pried her fingers loose, the baby stood a moment, then plopped onto the floor on her bottom and sucked her fingers.

"Lucy!" Andy said in a special voice he only used with the baby. She squealed and crawled away from him with a smile. He chased her, scooped her into his arms, and blew raspberries on her belly. Lucy laughed, and so did the others.

"Nothing fancy tonight, I hope you don't have your hopes up," Pam announced. "Darren's gonna grill some burgers and I bought chips. I just got home Friday night," she explained.

"Sounds great to me," Katie said.

While Darren fired up the grill, Andy and Katie took turns playing with baby Lucy in the grass. Between the four, they had plenty to catch up on. "Lewis promoted me to manager," Darren announced. "He's talking to me about buying him out."

"No way!" Andy cried. "Can you afford that?"

"Not really, but… Andy, if I could, we'd be set for life." Lewis, Bobby Goren's lifelong friend, had run an auto shop in the city for years. It was a well-established business, and Darren had started working there when he was a senior in high school. He worked his way through college in Lewis' shop, and now, with a business degree, was Lewis' right hand man.

"Talk to Katie, I'll bet she could sweet-talk him into—"

Darren smiled and shook his head. "No, I wanna be fair about it. Lewis worked hard to build the business, he deserves a fair price for it." Darren flipped a burger. "Besides, I think he's going to work out a payment plan for me," he admitted.

Andy slapped his friend on the back and squeezed his shoulder. Then he turned and watched Katie, who was lying on the ground holding the baby in the air over her head. Her cheeks were rosy, and her blonde curls sparkled in the evening sun. Her yellow t-shirt was stretched tight to adequately cover her breasts. Andy stared. He stared so long he didn't notice his friend punching his arm. "Oh, uh, what?" Andy said, turning back to Darren.

"Something going on here?" Darren asked with a spark in his eye.

"No, you know. It's _Katie_, for crying out loud. You know how I feel about her."

"Yeah. I do," Darren said simply, leaving Andy to wonder just what he really thought.

"Lucy's incredible," Andy said, holding the serving plate for Darren to set the burgers on.

"We're, uh… never mind," Darren said. He looked over at his wife before turning off the grill. "Burgers!" he shouted.

Pam, Katie, and Lucy climbed up onto the deck. Darren brought out the baby's high chair and Pam strapped her in. Leaving the baby with Katie and Andy, they went inside to get the plates and chips. They came out grinning, and quickly set the table.

As everyone started to eat, Darren said, "Andy, what I was going to say was…" he looked over at his wife.

"We're having another baby!" She squealed happily, and everyone started talking at once. "I'm due in March," she announced, once the excitement settled.

"Oh, Pam! I'm so happy for you!" Katie could hardly contain her excitement.

After dinner, they bathed the baby and put her to bed. Darren uncovered the hot tub, which he'd gotten second-hand and fixed up, and told his friends to plan on staying a while. He and his wife kept extra swimsuits around, so Andy and Katie just picked some out and changed. As the sun set, the four sat in the hot tub and enjoyed the stars.

Pam wouldn't stay in for long, for the sake of her new baby. Darren climbed out and sat beside her, kissing her deeply and caressing her belly with his hands. Katie and Andy kept apart, but occasionally their feet would bump underwater, and then there were quiet smiles and apologies.

The sound of a cry came through the baby monitor and both Darren and Pam went inside, wrapping up in towels on the way.

Katie looked up at the stars and leaned back. She didn't realize it, but she floated very close to Andy. "The stars are beautiful. This is a beautiful night, Andy."

He felt himself heating up and pressed his body back against the side of the pool. "Yeah, beautiful," he said, only Andy wasn't looking at the stars. Her curls were so close he could almost kiss them.

"Andy, do you—" she turned her head and her lips almost brushed against his. They both froze in place a moment, and then Andy leaned forward and kissed her.

Speechless, they separated and stared at each other. Neither had ever thought of the other as anything more than a friend: a brother or sister, even. They'd grown up together, after all.

Andy's heart was pounding, but she didn't move away from him, so he kissed her again. This time, he let his hands glide down and put gentle pressure on her tiny waist.

Darren and Pam were in the kitchen, almost at the door when Darren saw the two in the tub. He held out his hand and whispered frantically, "Whoa! Whoa, stop!" He nodded at the tub on the deck, and she put her arm around her husband. "About time," Pam said.

"Wow," Darren said. He felt strange, watching, so instead, he turned to Pam and took her in his arms. They shared a kiss, too.

* * *

The drive home was very quiet, but Katie held her hand against his the whole way. He would be up all night, but she was getting tired. At her apartment, he opened the mustang door for her and then walked her to her door.

Katie was still at a loss for words. She held his hand loosely in her fingers and stared alternately at his chest and into his eyes. Slowly, Andy lifted his hands to her delicate face. He stared at her lips, and then into her eyes. "You're beautiful, Kate," he whispered, dropping his lips to hers again.

Katie felt a warmth like she'd never felt before. As her tongue met his, the heat spread down her spine and into her core. They broke apart suddenly, gasping for air. "I… I can't, Andy," she said abruptly. She bolted into her apartment and shut the door. As she leaned against the cool, hard wood, she started to tremble.

Andy stared at the brass ring around the peephole, unable to move. He was afraid to move, afraid he would never hear from her again. It was several minutes before he finally decided it was best to go. His feet were like lead, but he found his way back to the car and except for a detour to the bar, at last he made it home.

At 6 a.m., just when he was about to hit the sack, his phone buzzed. Andy read the text quickly.

_I'm sorry._

He typed his response. _What does that mean?_

_I didn't mean to lead you on._

Upon reading that, he dropped the phone into his lap as his brain fired incessantly, searching for the right response.

He mustered all his courage and he typed four words. _I love you, Kate._

It was his turn to wait, as Katie tried to find the right words for him. _Like a sister,_ she finally replied.

Just thinking about her, he was trembling with desire. He was definitely not thinking of her as a sister. Andy's phone shook in his hands as he tried to find the words to tell her just how he felt.

_I have to get ready for work,_ she wrote. _Bye, Andy._

Angrily, he smacked his phone down on the nightstand. He flopped in the bed and tried to relax so he could rest. It was almost two hours before he was finally tired enough to enter a fitful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

By one o'clock, he was awake again. His mood was as black as it ever got, and he packed a bag for the gym with a string of curse words. Andy hit the pool first, and then the machines. Then he hit the showers.

He couldn't figure out exactly who he was mad at. Kate hadn't done anything wrong, at least not anything more than he had. And he couldn't be mad at her for stopping him. He was afraid to lose her, too. He resolved to just be mad at the world in general.

* * *

Katie had a miserable day. She maintained her professionalism with her clients, didn't let on about her own state of mind, but she was beside herself with grief. Andy meant the world to her, and she couldn't bear to think of life without him. She couldn't continue to lead him on, however. She forced herself not to text him.

She went to the movies to bide her time.

* * *

A week passed, and they still hadn't spoken. Katie was having dinner with her parents when Alex mentioned having a get together with the Logans. Both of her parents saw her reaction.

"What is it, Katie? Something with you and Andy?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Daddy."

Alex glanced over at her husband. "I guess we can just invite Mike and Carolyn, without the kids," she offered.

Bobby raised his hands in a "whatever" gesture. "How long as this been going on?" he asked, after a brief interlude.

"About a week."

Bobby looked over at his wife, who said, "You guys have had fights before. It'll pass."

Katie squirmed in her seat. It hadn't exactly been a fight. She really, really didn't want to talk to her parents about this. "I guess you're right, Mom," she finally said.

* * *

Darren set the baby in the playpen and picked up the phone. "Andy! How are you?" he asked cheerfully.

Andy changed the subject, talked about his job, and a new problem he was having with the mustang.

The baby started to cry, and Darren scooped her up, but he couldn't console her. Their conversation was coming to a close. Darren shouted to be heard over Lucy's cries, "Bring Katie over on Sunday—we'll have brunch."

"Uh, I… I'll ask Angela," he said.

Darren blanched. _Shit,_ he thought to himself. "No, never mind. Just come by yourself. Whenever you want, man, I'll be here. I gotta go, I don't know what Lucy wants," he explained and quickly hung up the phone.

Andy hung up too, feeling rotten. He pulled up Angela's number on the speed dial and stared at it. She hadn't tried to call him in weeks. He was upset, but he wasn't going to be stupid. He clicked his phone back to the home display and set it down.

* * *

Even in the midst of her personal crisis, Katie was excelling at her job. She threw herself into her work, and she continued to impress her coworkers. If she needed a break, she went to the movies. Anything not to think about Andy.

It had been almost two weeks since they'd kissed, and neither had made contact with the other since that night. Buried in her new routine, she wasn't feeling the pain, but Dr. Goren knew she was only distracting herself, avoiding, putting it off. Katie ran her fingers through her tangled evening hair and sighed. Avoiding was good enough for now.

* * *

"What's going on with the kids?" Alex asked Carolyn, as they chatted in the kitchen over a glass of tea.

"Something's going on?" Carolyn asked.

"Katie was over the other day. She didn't want to see, or talk about, Andy."

Carolyn frowned. "We haven't seen much of Andy lately. I just thought he was busy working. I don't know, Alex. He hasn't said anything."

"A mystery," Alex said, with her eyebrow raised.

"Oh, it's probably nothing," Carolyn said. "They probably had an argument or something."

"But still, don't you want to know why? What it was about?"

"You've got too much time on your hands."

"Maybe so," Alex laughed.

Bobby's voice called frantically from the back stoop. "Alex! Carolyn! Call an ambulance!" Alex grabbed her phone and Carolyn ran out back.

* * *

Andy and Katie nearly ran into each other at the front entrance of the hospital. They stared at each other a second, and then Katie stepped aside so he could hurry in. She followed him.

Andy ran past the Gorens and in the direction Bobby pointed him, where he saw his mother standing by his father's bed in the ER. Katie jogged in, too, and threw herself into her mother's arms. Bobby, his face grim, rubbed her back.

Three hours later, Mike was moved to a room upstairs. It appeared to be a repeat of the last episode, and everyone was concerned. He was finally comfortable, dozing in and out in the hospital bed as the heart monitor blipped and the oxygen pumped under his nose.

Andy had spent most of the day consoling his mother, holding her, staying strong for her. He was terrified. As the evening drew near, Bobby and Alex moved in to sit with Carolyn, and Katie and Andy drifted out into a waiting room.

They still hadn't spoken. Katie had stood by silently for hours, worried, but knowing enough to stay back. Now she watched him sink into the vinyl couch and hang his head in his hands. Katie sat beside him and wrapped her arms around him, and he melted in her embrace. Andy cried, and she cried too.

"I'm so sorry, Kate," he said as he began to regain his self-control.

"I'm sorry, too, Andy," she said.

He put his arms around her and pulled her in tight. "I can't live without you," he said.

"Oh, Andy," she breathed, and she began kissing his neck. The kisses soothed them both, and soon, they were in a lover's embrace, mouths locked together and burning for each other.

Someone cleared his throat. The second time, they heard and broke the kiss. Bobby averted his eyes, not wanting to embarrass them further. "Andy, your Dad's asking for you."

In a split second he was on his feet and down the hall, leaving Katie to stare dumbly at her father. He shifted his weight on his feet. "So things are all right, now, I take it?" He prodded.

She cleared her throat and ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah. I guess so."

His eyes flitted around the room, but he said, "Looked to me like you know so."

Katie sighed. "Daddy, please. I don't want to talk about it."

Just then, Alex walked in. She looked between the two of them. "What'd I miss?" She asked.

"I'm going to go get a soda," Katie announced and slid past her father and out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Alex walked with Katie to her apartment and followed her inside. "Were you planning to tell anyone?"

"Mom, I can't. I need to talk to Andy about it, and this isn't a good time."

"How the hell do you expect us to keep this a secret from Carolyn, from Mike? They love you, Katie, they'll be thrilled that you and Andy are a couple."

"But we're not a couple, Mom! At least I don't think we are."

Alex lowered her head, confused and frustrated. "Okay, you're gonna have to explain that one to me, because from what your Dad saw, you're a couple."

"Mom!" Katie groaned, sounding like a teenager again. "It just… happened."

Alex sank to the edge of the couch. "Oh." She took a moment to get her head to stop swimming, and then looked at her daughter, who was leaning with her back against the edge of the wall between the living room and the hall. "Are you all right, Katie?"

Tears fell freely down her little girl's face, and without another word, Alex held her. Her questions could wait until later.

* * *

Her mother had been gone for twenty minutes when her phone rang. Katie read the message eagerly.

_Are you okay?_

She allowed herself a smile. _Yeah. Are you?_

_ I think so._

_How's your Dad?_

_ Surgery tomorrow—they're calling it minor._

_ Your Mom?_

_ Scared, same as me._

_ Want to come over?_

He never answered her question, and she kicked herself for asking it. He probably needed to stay close to his Mom, to help her get through the night. As Katie thought, she tidied up her apartment. She was completely surprised when the doorbell rang.

When she opened the door, he took her in a passionate kiss. They paused only long enough to lock the door behind them and they swam across the room, touching each other in places they'd never felt before.

Somehow, she stripped him of his shirt and she reveled in the size of his muscles. She'd never noticed when he'd changed from a scrawny boy into a muscular man.

Likewise, when he lifted her shirt and closed his hands over her breasts, he was stunned by the fullness of them. Andy moaned as he moved against her, and she nipped gently at his skin with her teeth.

"I love you, Andy," she breathed. "I don't know why I couldn't say it before."

"Kate," he whispered, "you're everything to me. I love you. I will always love you."

Each was lost in the other. They couldn't stop themselves. She opened herself to him, and he tasted every part of her. They made love until she couldn't stay awake any longer. He sat in the darkened bedroom, holding her while she slept.

Her eyes opened without the help of an alarm at 6 a.m. Katie stretched and was surprised to hear his voice.

"Good morning," Andy said.

"You're still awake?" She asked.

"Night shift, remember?"

"You didn't have to stay in the bed with me," she admonished him.

Andy kissed her softly on the lips. "I wanted to."

Katie leaned into his chest, swirling the tips of her fingers through his chest hair. "Andy," she began, "are we a couple?"

He didn't respond, and she pulled back from him so she could look him in the eye. He was laughing. "Holy hell, Kate, what does it take to be a couple in your book?!"

She gave him a girlish grin and laughed, too.

* * *

Andy only got two hours sleep before they had to head back to the hospital. Mike was scheduled for surgery at 11:00 a.m. Kate accompanied Andy into the hospital room, staying close by his side.

He went to Mike's bed and said good morning to his father. Kate gave Mike a kiss, and stood back while Andy spoke with him. She could feel Andy's nervousness growing, and she slipped her hand into his.

"What's this?" Mike asked weakly, tilting his eyes to their joined hands.

"Oh, uh, Dad?" Andy looked quickly at Kate for courage. "We're dating."

Mike looked between the two, his expression a combination of shock and joy. Carolyn held her hand over her mouth a moment, then threw her arms around first her son, and then Kate. "I can't believe it," she said.

They unclasped their hands, and Andy slowly slipped his arm over her shoulders, as she reached around his waist.

* * *

The waiting room was packed with friends and family. Andy dozed in Kate's arms, and Bobby caught up with Darren and Lewis about the fate of the garage. Alex and Carolyn bided their time by staring at their children, so comfortably nestled in each other's arms.

"I can't believe it," Carolyn said again.

"I can't either," Alex said. "But I have to admit, I've always secretly hoped…"

Carolyn gave her friend a sideways hug. "Me, too." They shared a smile.

"Mrs. Logan?" A doctor asked. Immediately, Carolyn's face drew up in concern and she walked forward. Kate poked Andy until he awoke. The doctor smiled at Carolyn. "He came through it like a champ," he said. "He's in recovery now, and we'll move him back to his room when he comes out of anesthesia."

"Can we see him?" Carolyn asked, as tears filled her eyes. She grabbed her son's hand.

"Only the two of you?" They both nodded. "I think so. Come with me," he said. Andy threw his arm around his Mom and they followed the doctor. Everyone else in the room shared hugs of relief.

* * *

"I'm, uhm… I'm gonna stay with Mom and Dad a while, until he's recovered from the surgery," Andy said.

"That's good, Andy, they need you right now."

"Your folks are going to come by during the day, when I'm sleeping," he said.

Katie smiled. "They need something to keep them busy. I can come out on the weekends," she offered.

"They'll like that."

"And in the meantime?" she asked, giving him a gentle kiss.

"I'll text you," he said. "A lot."

"Maybe I can come over for dinner sometimes," she suggested.

"I usually get up between 3 and 4." He kissed her this time, and with tongue.

"I'll come straight from work," she promised, and his hands started to roam across her body again.

They had a hard time breaking away from each other, but Andy finally managed it. "I love you, Kate."

She smiled, and her eyes sparkled. "I love you, Andy."

* * *

Kate threw off her jacket, and raced past Andy to Mike. She gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek, then turned to her boyfriend.

"Yeah, she's a keeper," Mike said.

"Actually, Dad, Mom, that's what we wanted to talk to you about," Andy said. He nodded toward the kitchen table. "Probably you should sit down," he suggested.

Mike looked over at Carolyn, and sat down at the table, pulling her into his lap. She laughed at his playfulness and gave her husband a kiss.

Andy took a deep breath and looked over at Kate. "I've asked Kate to marry me," he announced.

Mike and Carolyn grinned. "And what did she say?" Mike asked, looking back and forth between Andy and Katie.

"I said yes, of course!" Katie cried, laughing. She showed them all her ring.

They all celebrated with hugs and kisses, and then Mike looked sternly at his son. "You asked Bobby yet?"

Andy licked his lips and swallowed hard. He shook his head. "I… I…"

"He's afraid of Daddy," Kate explained with a laugh.

"He should be afraid," Mike said. "This will be nothing like giving you the mustang. In fact, if you remember, he only gave you the mustang because you saved Katie's life."

"I-I know," Andy stammered. "And now I'm going to take her from him… for life. Maybe I should give him the mustang back."

"Maybe," Mike agreed.

Carolyn stood, reached in, and mussed her son's hair. "Oh, stop it, Michael. Bobby will be thrilled to hear that Katie is marrying our son."

"See, Andy? Isn't that just what I said?" Katie agreed.

* * *

"Daddy?" Katie asked, hesitating in the doorway of his study. She wasn't sure what he did in here these days. Now that he was retired, even from consulting, it seemed to her a wasted room.

"Come in, Sweetie. I was just putting together some notes. I've been invited to lecture at Quantico."

"Quantico? Really?"

"Next month. Training some rookie FBI agents."

"Nobody could do it better," she told him.

"What did you need, Darling?"

"Uhm, Daddy… I need you to come out to the living room, please. We're having a family meeting."

He sat back in surprise. "A family meeting?"

Katie tugged on her father's hand. "C'mon, Daddy, it's important."

He let her lead him out. Finding Alex on the couch with a glass of wine in her hand, he sat down beside his wife and was promptly handed his own glass by his loving daughter. Andy was shuffling his feet nervously in the corner of the room.

Katie looked at her parents, content in each other's arms with a glass of wine ready for the drinking. She smiled. Then she turned to Andy, and took his hand firmly.

Bobby's heart sank. He knew what this meant. Alex gave him a knowing look, and he tried to look happy. Andy cleared his throat so many times Katie had to run off to the kitchen to get him a drink of water before he could start.

Once back in his place, Andy cleared his throat, took a drink, and choked on his water. Katie patted his back, and Alex covered her mouth to hide her laughter. Bobby smiled. At least it was good entertainment.

"Uh…Uncle Bobby," Andy began, using the name he'd had for Bobby since childhood. "Uncle Bobby, Aunt Alex… I've known Katie all my life," he said, and though he was ready to throw in the towel, he looked at Kate and found his courage. "Katie and I," he said, then looked over at his love. "Kate and I are getting married," he said.

Alex grinned, and looked over at her husband, who had yet to respond to the news. Bobby looked at his daughter. "You've known Andy your whole life, Katie," he said. "You're sure about this?"

She smiled and looked over at Andy affectionately. "I'm sure Daddy. I love Andy."

Bobby stood up and scooped his daughter into a hug. With his lips next to her ear he whispered, "as long as you're happy, Baby Girl."

They shared hugs all around. Andy was terrified, but Bobby finally loosened up and gave him a full hug. "I love you, kid. Of course I'm happy for you," he told the boy.

Katie showed her mother the ring, and Alex shoved it under Bobby's nose for inspection, too. He grinned. "Nice," he said. "Did you tell your parents yet?" He asked Andy.

"Last night," Andy said.

"How did they take it?"

"They were happy, you know."

"You know, when I married Alex, her Dad was… well, he was the best Dad I ever had." Bobby looked over at Andy. "I'm not in competition with your Dad, Andy, but I hope you can stop calling me Uncle Bobby and start calling me Dad, too."

Andy relaxed and dropped his hand over Katie's shoulder. "I'll try, sir."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Church was still as the loving couple turned to each other to give their vows. Mike and Carolyn sat in the front row on the right side, and Bobby and Alex sat across from them on the left. Darren stood behind Andy, and Lisa, Kate's best friend from college, stood behind her. Lewis sat right behind Bobby, Alex's family beside him, and Pam sat behind the Logans with her 3 year old daughter and her newborn baby. The Church was filled with friends of both the bride and groom, and their parents. It seemed like half of NYPD was in attendance.

"Sophia Katherine Goren, I have known you since the day I was born," Andy began. "You were the first one I called 'friend,' the first girl I ever kissed, the first girl who ever smacked me for making a sexist remark." The congregation giggled. "You are the love of my life, my comfort in the storm, the true historian of my past, and my hope for the future. I promise to love you with all my heart, soul and body, to stand with you through troubles and trials and in the joys and pleasures that undoubtedly lie in your path. I will share my life with you, with steadfast love, forever."

Bobby squeezed Alex's hand, and she dabbed a tissue at her eyes.

"Michael Andrew Logan," Katie started, her voice shaking from the sheer intensity of the moment, "when I first met you, you squirmed and cried and smelled kind of funny." The congregation murmured and giggled. "But I loved you anyway. I loved you when you were following me around like a puppy, I loved you when you broke into my girls only club, and I loved you when you saved my life. You are the only one who can make me laugh when I'm down and depressed. You are the only one who can make me so mad I could rake the floor with you. And you're the only one I want to spend my life with. You have taught me what it really means to be a friend, what forgiveness is, and what it really means to love someone. I promise to stand by your side through thick and thin, to raise you up if you fall, to love you through it all, good and bad, rich and poor, sickness and health. I promise to give you all my love, all of my life."

The Priest spoke. "Do you, Michael Andrew Logan, take Sophia Katherine Goren to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Do you, Sophia Katherine Goren, take Michael Andrew Logan to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward until death to you part?"

"I do."

The priest joined their hands together with his. "What God has joined together let no man put asunder." The Priest smiled at Andy. "You may now kiss the bride."

Andy stepped in closer and wrapped his arms around her. No one could hear him, but he was saying something to her just before he pressed his lips against hers. The room erupted with applause. Andy let Katie go, but she pulled him back and kissed him, and the room broke into applause again. Then the recessional music started. Lisa handed her the bouquet, and Andy hooked his arm for her to hold. They walked down the aisle together with broad smiles. Lisa and Darren followed. Bobby held his elbow out for Alex, and she leaned against him as he escorted her out. Mike did the same for Carolyn, pausing to kiss her before they walked away from the altar.

After standing and greeting every guest, the family freshened up for photographs. Bobby and Alex stayed a little longer than the rest, watching their daughter and Andy having fun with the different poses.

"We'd better get to the hall," Alex told him, and he walked her out. As he opened the door for her, she said, "I remember you bought me a camera just before we went to the courthouse," she said, smiling.

"The court recorder outdid herself," Bobby smiled, remembering how he'd handed her the camera and asked her to take pictures of their wedding.

The reception was a grand party. Surrounded only by friends and family, even the little glitches were of no concern. Bobby danced with his daughter and handed her over to Andy with a bow. Then he danced with the love of his life. By the end of the night, they were all exhausted, but happy.

Lewis played chauffer in a vintage limo and drove the young couple to Park Central for their honeymoon night. In the morning, the kids would board a plane for Guam.

Bobby gave Mike a hug before the couples called it a night. "Come over for a beer tomorrow," Mike said.

"Sure."

Alex and Carolyn were still hugging and crying together. Mike pointed at them and rolled his eyes for Bobby's entertainment. When the women finally separated, the men said quick goodbyes and shuttled them off in the direction of home.

* * *

In bed that night, Alex was lying with her head on Bobby's bare shoulder. His arm was around her, and neither one of them could sleep.

"You know what's next, don't you?" Alex asked him.

"Day shift? Commendations?" Bobby said.

"Grandkids."

"I hope I live long enough to meet them," Bobby said.

"Goren!" Alex admonished him.

Bobby didn't understand her reaction. He was old, after all. Mike was younger than him and had already suffered two heart attacks.

"Sorry, I was just being honest," Bobby explained.

Alex sighed. She found his hand with her own. "She was beautiful today."

"She's always beautiful, just like you."

Alex smiled. "They'll be just fine," she said. "You couldn't find two people who love each other more."

"I don't know about that."

"What?"

"I wouldn't have to look outside this room," he told her.

Speechless, Alex turned to look him in the eyes, where she saw the same love and fire she'd seen all those years ago. The parents of the bride shared a kiss.

* * *

Mike and Carolyn both dropped back against the sheets, panting. After a moment, Carolyn grew concerned. She leaned up on her elbow and put her hand over his chest. "You all right?"

"Fantastic," he told her.

Relief washed over her. She laid back down, and he stroked her arm with his fingers. "Don't worry honey, if that's what causes it, I'll die one happy man."

"Mike, don't joke like that," she said.

"Who's joking?" He protested. "I'm the luckiest man in the world, you know that?"

"Sure you are."

"Carolyn, I had nothing before I met you. All my relationships went to crap. Once I found you, my whole world changed."

"You didn't think so at first," she said.

Mike smiled. "I was never happy without you," he stated honestly. "And you gave me Andy, and I can't believe how much I love being a father. How much I love him."

"You're a great father, Mike."

"And now we have Katie, too." He leaned over and brought his lips to hers. "Thank you, Carolyn."

She spent some time kissing him back before she pushed him back onto the bed. "Slow down, pal, you'll end up in the hospital again."

"Worth it," he said, and stole one more kiss before he did as she asked.

"I can't imagine my life without you, Mike," she said quietly. "Past, present, or future."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

THE END


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